The officials, according to Per Second News, are Mr. Robert Mumford Ditto, a Filipino and one Saka Ologele from Nigeria. Apparently left fuming after an argument, Ditto, angrily threw a chair at Ologele.
Some officials of the embassy tried to engage with the men but the situation then escalated into a physical fight, in the full glare of dozens of guests and visa applicants.
Ditto called in agents from the Washington Capitol Secret Service Police to deal with the commotion, there after several people became angry at his utterances.
No fewer than five police officers arrived and made their way into the embassy to restore order and calm panicky guests and visa applicants.
It took the timely intervention of acting Ambassador, Mr. Hakeem Balogun, to prevent the secret service agents from arresting the officials.
The acting ambassador has suspended the duo indefinitely, it was learnt yesterday morning.
Police confirmed the altercation inside the embassy but did not report any arrest.
Commenting on the incident, a band of Nigerian workers complained about the utterances of Filipino citizens working at the embassy.
Workers alleged that they have been arbitrary and overboard.
Investigations also revealed that in the Defence Attache section of the embassy, Nigerian diplomats have in most times preferred Filipinos to assist in the work there.
From local office assistants to drivers, the department in charge of intelligence uses foreigners, especially the Filipinos, workers alleged.
It was also gathered that the Deputy Defence Attache has a Filipino secretary in this days where the line between diplomat, embassy workers and spy is sometimes blurred.
“You will never see a foreigner at Chinese, Indian, Russian, even at the Ghana embassy at strategic positions,” said a visa applicant.
Approaching foreign nationals and asking them to work for your government is generally agreed to lie in the realm of espionage.
Some in Washington have questioned the employment of Filipinos working at sensitive positions inside the embassy.
Reports in the past revealed that some foreign workers in some embassies have been caught surreptitiously seeking to discover passwords, details of private and official email, tracking movements and mobile phone accounts of foreign officials.
This is an everyday activity that lies deep within the field of espionage, said a diplomat.
“Drivers deployed to diplomats drive with their ears cocked for interesting intelligence.
“There is a degree of overlap. Diplomats, spies and journalists are all basically nosy people. They all want to find out things that are not generally known,” said a Nigerian diplomat asked about the Filipinos at the embassy of Nigeria.
from thisday
Why is everything wrong with this country?
ReplyDeleteMy dear I tire o. I have a friend that says he claims to be Ghanaian because telling people he is Nigerian is disgraceful.
DeleteI swear I don't understand! Why must our own always be different???
DeletePerson wey do us this kan strong thing no go die better...
I mean EVERYTHING! We are just a shameless nation without values,ethics & conscience. All we think is grab,steal,cheat
DeleteDem don Belle full... Person wen don Belle full na im dey fight
ReplyDeleteI did not bother to read that epistle up there
@Galore
Dem go don know our secrets finish nau.
ReplyDeleteFighting in the office is suspension from there sack. Una don chop belleful. Why not wait after work, go outside and dig it out.
ReplyDeleteYeye
Employ whosever is qualified to handle whatever portfolio. Come to ordinary local government offices and see the lackadaisical attitude of Nigerian workers....
ReplyDeleteMay God save us
ReplyDeleteBut make una no vex o. This administration get sence at all?
ReplyDeleteThat has always been the norm from the past..
DeleteAll nigerians at the embassy ask for is bribe upon bribe so why wont they employ foreigners to steal their secrets. Try nigetian embassy london. The staff thete especially the women, their level of rudeness has wings.
DeleteAnons loud it
DeleteNa wa oooo
ReplyDeleteHow to you employ a foreign national in your embassy? Except in the role of a cook or driver etc.
ReplyDeleteNothing wey Nigeria dey do dey ever get head. Nothing. Tueh.
I knew this was coming. The Filipino people are sometimes the only saving grace of the embassies. The Filipino lady in ATLANTA embassy is the best and everybody knows it. Sorry I don't remember her name. Now they want to get rid of them so only incompetent ones will remain. Mr Abdul in the Atlanta embassy is also very efficient and helpful
Deletehahahahaha Baghera na who you want make he answer you.
ReplyDeleteNo but reason am now. Where for this world Dem dey employ foreigners for a nation embassy.
DeleteSomebody talk say maybe cook and drivers. Even me way no be attache knw say na the fastest way to get Intel ba from those two positions. And again even if Dem employ citizens the vetting process no be here o. Make Jehovah help us o!
Jesus christ.
ReplyDeleteForeigners working in Nigerian embassy when we have nigerian graduates in those same countries that are without jobs?
God what is wrong?
Nigerians are rude and lazy.
DeleteNa wao for my people.. disgracing themselves everywhere they go
ReplyDeleteThat Nigerian embassy in Washington DC is one of the worst that I have been to. Their level of unprofessionalism is alarming. I'm not surprised at this news.
ReplyDeleteThe worst consular office in the world I'd Washington office.
ReplyDelete1. Bribery has no part two
2. To get passport is like a Girraffe trying to pass through the space of a needle
3. To get visa is through third party
4. Think of anything disgraceful, even our software system is been operated by foreigners
5 . If you call, no you picks up the phone
6. Evil,evil evil
People are talking like they don't know Nigerians put them in strategic places. Bribery and corruption galore. But still sha, it's bad though
ReplyDeleteSome aspects of this article are inaccurate. Although the men were put on suspension, they were both required to continue working as there is no one available to fulfill their responsibilities in their absence.
ReplyDeleteTension is high at the Embassy because the workers have not been paid their salary for more than 5 months. Also the embassy has not paid the health insurance deposits required for the employees to receive adequate health care.
The working conditions are poor considering that diplomatic professionals treat the administrative staff like slaves. They take advantage by sending staff out to run personal errands at all hours of the day and night. Their work day never ends, and they never have days off, not even the weekends when embassy is closed.
The staff members are not treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. It is despicable even more so because the working conditions are not legal in the US, but the embassy is immune to the US labor laws.
The workers are worked for so many hours that they often sleep at the embassy. They have to beg for time off just to visit a doctor or to see their families.
They are afraid to find another job because they will not receive all the money they are owed.
I am close friend to someone who works at the embassy so I have heard many stories first hand.
Please if you are reading this, take the time to share this news with every Nigerian that you know, because this type of behavior is shameful and looks bad for All Africans. The rest of the world does not need another reason to put us down.
So please stand up for the embassy workers and force your politicians to recognize their true responsibility to serve the people who elected them.
Why won't they fight when they are owed 5 months salary? The corruption and mismanagement of funds at the Embassy in Washington under the leadership of a lousy and incompetent officer named Mr. Hakeem Balogun is alarming. He bullies and threatens workers, according to an insider. We were even told he has embezzled revenues accruing from visa, passport, and consular services. It is time for the Nigerian government to send private auditors to audit the revenues from passport, visa, and consular services which the Embassy has been receiving without remitting same to the Nigerian government.
ReplyDeleteWhy won't they fight when they are owed 5 months salary? The corruption and mismanagement of funds at the Embassy in Washington under the leadership of a lousy and incompetent officer named Mr. Hakeem Balogun is alarming. He bullies and threatens workers, according to an insider. We were even told he has embezzled revenues accruing from visa, passport, and consular services. It is time for the Nigerian government to send private auditors to audit the revenues from passport, visa, and consular services which the Embassy has been receiving without remitting same to the Nigerian government.
ReplyDelete